


The Merits of Bringing a Mercenary to a Negotiation

by missivesfromghosts



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Canon Trans Character, Established Relationship, M/M, PWP, Trans Character, Trans Cullen Rutherford, trans people dating trans people
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-02
Packaged: 2018-05-11 02:33:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5610637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missivesfromghosts/pseuds/missivesfromghosts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen hates attending fancy parties. Especially Orlesian fancy parties. So he convinces Krem to come with him. At least he'll have somebody to talk to, right?</p><p>Or: Josephine has a bad day, Cullen sucks at dinner parties, and Krem tops the hell out of his blushing boyfriend.</p><p>Feat. Trans!Cullen</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Merits of Bringing a Mercenary to a Negotiation

“I hate going to these things,” Cullen had complained, as he held up the newly tailored uniform in what Josephine had called ‘mahogany’ to himself. “I never feel right talking to those… nobles.”

From where he was lounging on Cullen’s bed, Krem snickered at what Cullen _hadn’t_ said in the pause.

“I’m a soldier, not a diplomat. I hardly ever contribute anything to those harrowing dinner conversations and everyone keeps trying to marry me to their daughters. But Josephine keeps insisting it ‘looks good’ to have me along.”

“I think she’s saying you’re a pretty face to have along,” Krem laughed. “You could tell them you’re already occupied with a Tevinter mercenary and deserter.” He suggested. “Or that you are very sorry but you won’t be able to provide their daughters with any bouncing, blond-haired babies. That should send everyone running.”

“Krem!” Cullen protested.

“I’m helping.”

Cullen ignored him.

“If there was somebody to talk to there whose facial expression I could see it would be tolerable. Maker, I hate those masks. Cassandra can’t stand these trips as much as I do. But she has this way of saying no and not even Josephine argues with her. Leilana comes sometimes, but she’s no help. She won’t--” Cullen cut himself off and turned to Krem. “You could come.”

Krem sat up in alarm.

“What? Oh no. Josephine would never let me. Tevinter mercenary, remember? Also no. Look, this is me pulling a Cassandra.”

“Just once? You don’t even need to attend the dinners?” Cullen wheedled, looking hopeful.

“No. Don’t look at me like that.”

Cullen crossed the room and and ran his hands down Krem’s arms.

“Please?”

“Cullen,” Krem warned.

Cullen bent his head and caught Krem’s lips in a kiss. Krem could feel himself losing this battle.

“You’re so charming, they’ll love you.” Cullen kissed Krem again. “ _I_ love you.”

Krem sighed.

 

*****

 

Which was how Krem ended up wearing a stiff uniform to match Cullen’s at the estate of the Marquis de Alyons. And he had been bullied into attending the dinner, despite Cullen’s promises otherwise. The food was good at least, although the portions were stylishly tiny. Maybe this was some sort of Orlesian negotiation tactic: starve your guests into submission.

The Marquis had not sounded pleased when he saw Krem accompany the others to the dining room that evening, which was a small consolation. Krem would’ve bet his soured face made the hideous mask that hid it look downright pretty.

With the negotiations over passage for Inquisition soldiers through his land complete, the Marquis de Alyons turned to Cullen. Krem had heard he’d been involved in some scandal some years back, but he seemed to have either recovered well or been entirely unaffected, if the finery of his clothes were anything to go by. Krem thought they made him look like the world’s largest evil frog. The goatee on his mask really added a certain something too.

“So, Commander Cullen, you’ve made quite the name for yourself. Tell us of some of your exploits.”

“Oh. I’m afraid that none of them are that exciting,” Cullen lied blandly. “And none are very fit for the dinner table.”

“Oh come now, nothing? Surely the events in Kirkwall must be an interesting tale.”

Krem could almost hear Cullen’s internal groan.

“It was a tragedy of poor decision making on everyone’s part. Lives were needlessly lost. It doesn’t make for light storytelling.”

Josephine made to put her face in her hands at Cullen’s lack of grace and at the last minute turned it into adjusting her hair.

“Very well, very well. Well then, on to a lighter topic, perhaps. I am told you have quite the line of suitors.”

“Oh,” Cullen sounded caught off guard. He ought to be used to this question by now, Krem thought, biting the inside of his lip to stifle his smile. “Yes. I suppose,” Cullen said awkwardly.

This was painful. Krem decided he'd better help him out.

“Oh yes, he gets love letters daily,” Krem drawled. “But he’s holding out for a special someone.”

Josephine widened her eyes at Krem and ever so faintly shook her head. A few hairs were sticking up out of her coif. Krem smirked, showing teeth.

“My, is that so? That is _not_ something I had heard before. Perhaps that is why the good Commander has developed such a reputation for being hard to get?” The Marquis mused, stroking the fake goatee on his mask.

Krem had to pinch himself to keep from laughing outright. He twitched his elbow to nudge Cullen, hoping he had seen it too.

“Oh. No. I wouldn’t say that that’s… I mean, I don’t--”

“Why Cullen,” Krem interrupted, failing to suppress his smirk again. “How can you spurn the object of your affections? I’d say that that’s cold-hearted.” Krem could feel Cullen squirming in his seat. Cullen shot him a desperate look, a flush rising up his neck. Josephine was tapping her hand against the table significantly.

“Oh this is all very interesting,” the Marquis leaned forward. “Perhaps I should invite you to my table more often, Cremisius--” Krem winced, “you share the most fascinating things.”

“Hm,” Krem agreed. “I get invited to all kinds of places mercenaries aren’t supposed to be. I’m told I’m charming like that.”

“Oh do tell,” the Marquis practically purred.

Cullen kicked him under the table.

“Well, for starters--”

A crash cut him off.

“I am _so_ sorry, my dear Marquis. I cannot believe I could be so clumsy!” Josephine exclaimed, leaping to her feet amidst the remains of her shattered plate on the floor.

No fewer than three servants rushed forward to clean up the mess.

“It is no trouble, Lady Montilyet. No trouble at all. It is not a good dinner party unless something gets broken,” the Marquis simpered. Was it possible to be more greasy and transparent? He probably was already counting how he could leverage this in future negotiations. “The servants will bring you a new plate in a moment.”

“Oh,” Josephine feigned reluctance. “It has been _such_ a long evening. It is probably the late hour that has made me so clumsy and we are exhausted from our long journey here. Perhaps it would be best if we retired.”

“If you so desire, of course.” The Marquis clapped his hands and two more servants appeared from the woodwork. Was he conjuring them from the air like some thrice-blighted Magister? It was unnatural when men wanted their servants to be invisible. “My servants would be happy to lead you to your rooms.”  
  


They said their thanks and made their bows. Krem made sure to shake the Marquis’ hand and thank him with a broad smile and was privately vindicated to see him wiping his hand on his pants leg afterwards. So the sudden geniality did not extend to touching low-born mercenaries. Powerful people were the same no matter where you went, Tevinter or Orlais.

They were led down a series of hallways and Cullen hung back to whisper fiercely at Krem that this hadn’t been what he’d meant by “keeping him company”. The others split off shortly before they reached their destination, leaving just Cullen and Krem.

“His lordship the Marquis thought you would like to be closer to the barracks where your escort is housed,” the servant explained, bowing. He opened a door and gestured inside. “This is your suite, your lordship,”

“I’m not a lord,” Cullen said quickly but the servant continued as if he hadn’t heard him.

“And your room is to the left, Lieutenant.” He gestured to the nearest door to the left. “There are bells in your rooms should you need anything.”

Krem didn’t wait for the rest of the spiel. “Great, thanks. Don’t need the other room.” He strode into Cullen’s room. Everyone would know he’d slept in the Commander’s bed by morning whether or not they tried to be subtle about it anyway. It wasn’t like their every move wasn’t being spied on. In the hallway he heard Cullen thanking the servant quickly.

“Krem!” He said, coming in and shutting the door behind them.

“Mm?”

“That was flagrant.”

Krem raised an eyebrow.

“Why, you ashamed everyone is going to know?” He stalked toward Cullen. “Worried people are going to hear that you like to spread your legs for a mercenary?” He backed him against the wall.

“No. Krem. You know that’s not what--”

Truthfully Krem didn’t give a rat’s ass. He knew it was that Cullen was more easily embarrassed than a blushing virgin. He’d probably die if somebody said the word “sex” to him in public.

“Or are you worried about offending the nice Marquis? He did seem very interested in you. Maybe you’re hoping for a chance with him?”

Cullen’s face made Krem drop the act and laugh out loud.

“Tell me how you really feel,” he snickered.

“Maker, Krem. That’s… no.” Cullen wrinkled his nose. “No,” he repeated firmly. He reached for Krem, running his hands up his arms. “You know you’re the only one I want…”

“Mm, is that so? No beautiful heiress for you? … Or her father?” Krem couldn’t help one more dig.

“No. I want you.” Cullen tugged Krem closer and bent his head to kiss him.

Well, when he put it that way… Krem leaned into the kiss, body pressing against Cullen’s. With one hand he nudged Cullen’s head back and trailed his lips over his jaw-- enjoying the rough stubble there-- and down his neck, just a hint of teeth promising more until he found his mark and bit the delicate skin low on Cullen’s neck. Cullen’s breath caught in his throat and Krem felt his hands curl into his shirt. Mm, yes. This was better. This was how he liked him. Breathless and wanting.

Krem rearranged his legs so his thigh was pressing between Cullen’s legs and a small, soft sound escaped Cullen’s mouth.

“Mm, that’s a nice sound. Will you make it again for me?” Krem’s hands slid down to Cullen’s belt, unbuckling it as he spoke.

“I can’t just… make it on command,” Cullen tried to argue.

“You can’t? Don’t think that’s true.” Krem worked Cullen’s pants open and slid his hand inside, cupping Cullen through his smalls. Cullen made that delicious sound again.

“Okay, that’s one way.”

“Do you make any other sounds?” Krem already knew the full gamut of sounds Cullen made and he fully intended to put Cullen through his vocal paces tonight. He’d been planning to ever since Cullen had kissed him in the stables earlier that evening and then run off to check on the horses, more the playful young lover than the seasoned Commander.

He could feel that Cullen’s smalls were wet against his fingers and the knowledge that Cullen was already wet for him sent a thrill of arousal down his spine. He could already imagine the soft heat of Cullen’s body around his fingers and he had to reel his thoughts back to the present moment. He stroked his thumb over where he could feel Cullen’s cock, small but hard against his finger.

“ _Krem,_ ” Cullen gasped, hips rocking forward against his hand. “Bed, please. I’ve had too much wine to coordinate standing and sex.”

They fell into the bed together, Krem’s arms bracketing Cullen’s head.

“You sure you want to do this? Are you drunk?”

“Not drunk. Just tipsy.” Cullen ducked his head. “I want you. I’ve been waiting the whole trip here to be alone with you.”

It was Krem’s turn for his breath to catch.

“Clothes off, now,” Krem ordered, already sitting up and shucking off his shirt and yanking open the laces on his binder, Cullen not far behind him.

Krem finished first and helped Cullen pull his pants and smalls off and tossed them away. He leaned over him and kissed him, hands roaming up Cullen’s sides.

This easy comfort between them was Krem’s refuge. Before Cullen, the only man or woman he’d bared his chest to since he was a child was Bull. With Cullen he could forget a lifetime of shame. Krem didn’t mind pressing skin-to-skin against Cullen’s flat chest, the thick mottled scars there twins to Krem’s breasts, testament to a shared history neither of them had expected when they’d first met.

Below him Cullen rearranged himself so that Krem’s leg was between Cullen’s thighs.  Fuck. Krem could feel the wet slick of Cullen’s cunt against his thigh. He rocked against him, sucking marks down his neck and chest, while Cullen made small noises in the back of his throat and shifted restlessly against him.

“So,” Krem pulled away. “Been thinking about me all week? You’ll have to tell me what it is that you were looking forward to.” Cullen’s gaze flitted away and he bit his lip. This too was part of the game, coaxing Cullen to admit what they both wanted. “Tell me what filthy fantasies you’ve been playing through your head.”

“I… was thinking about how you’d hold me down and-- and spread me open and fuck me,” Cullen whispered, flush creeping back up his neck. “Maker, Krem, I want you.”

“How many times on the way over did you get off thinking about me fucking you?” Krem wondered, stroking his thumb over Cullen’s collarbone thoughtfully.

The flush reached Cullen’s face and spread across his cheeks.

“Every night,” he breathed.

“Of course you did,” Krem agreed, unsurprised. “Out there they may call you Commander, but I know you’re just a slut, gagging for my cock.”

“ _Maker._ ” Cullen rolled his hips and he pressed against Krem’s thigh. He could play the blushing innocent all he liked, but Krem knew better.

“Am I wrong?”

“No. No I want your cock…” Cullen paused and then added what Krem was waiting to hear. “Please.”

Krem sat up and nudged Cullen’s legs apart, stroking his hands up the delicate flesh of his inner thighs and coming to a stop where they met. Cullen’s cock as already hard, clearly visible through his blond curls. Krem dipped his fingers between Cullen’s folds to slick his fingers and stroked Cullen’s cock gently, trying to be mindful of how sensitive Cullen tended to be at first. Cullen arched into the touch with a whimper.

Krem scooted lower and settled onto his stomach between Cullen’s legs, returning his fingers to stroke Cullen as the same precise, slow pace. He kissed the inside of his thigh, just a hint of teeth grazing his skin, while he worked his fingers over his cock. Cullen rolled his hips and spread his legs wider, propping himself up on his elbows to watch Krem. Krem smirked against his skin and brought his mouth to Cullen’s cock, flattening his tongue against it and dragging it over the sensitive flesh. He glanced up at Cullen through his eyelashes.

“Krem,” Cullen gasped. “You look--”

Krem didn’t give him a chance to finish that sentence. He sucked his cock into his mouth and Cullen gasped again, wordlessly this time.

“Oh. Please. Maker, please,” He rocked up into Krem’s mouth and Krem was more than happy to oblige, sucking him first gently and then hard, hard enough that Krem thought that it must hurt but Cullen always trembled with pleasure. His moans went from whispers to full-throated cries as his hips came off the bed. “Please please please, I need your fingers in me-- _please.”_

Krem eased the pressure of his mouth so that Cullen relaxed back against the bed and stroked his fingers between his folds, teasing the entrance to his cunt. Cullen was wet enough for three people and Krem slipped two fingers into the heat of Cullen’s cunt easily. Cullen made a satisfied sound, already pressing back against Krem’s fingers.

“Slow down. I’ll get there, I promise.” Krem stroked his thigh.

“It’s not enough…” Cullen murmured.

“I know. I’m going to give you what you need.”

Cullen moaned quietly, letting his head fall back against the bed. Krem thrust his fingers in and out of him slowly, adding a third finger soon, until Cullen was bucking his hips, chasing the sensation and only then did he speed up, curling his fingers slightly to press against his forward wall. Cullen gasped and Krem without warning sucked his cock into his mouth again so that the sound turned into a drawn out moan. Krem could feel the way Cullen was getting tighter and tighter around his fingers, the way his thighs were trembling. But he wasn’t going to get to come that easily.

Krem sat back, withdrawing his fingers and Cullen whined.

“No, I’m so close--”

“Shhh. Don’t move. I want you to stay right like that with your sweet hole on display for me.” Cullen whimpered but lay still, hands clutching the blanket, legs drawn up and spread wide.

Krem was practiced at this and it took him only a minute to grab his harness and cock from his pack, shimmy into it, and slick it with oil. He climbed back onto the bed and kneeled over Cullen, letting him get a good look at the cock he’d chosen to bring, thick and with an upward curve.

“Is this what you’ve been jerking off thinking about in your tent, five meters away from your soldiers every night?” He stroked his cock with one hand as he spoke. Cullen hesitated. He was so easy to read, always trying to play coy. Like he wasn’t desperate for it.

“Andraste’s mercy, yes,” he admitted. “I want to feel your cock filling me. _Krem._ ”

Well, when he begged so sweetly who was Krem to deny him? Krem pressed the head of his cock against Cullen’s entrance and went no further, barely inside him but a promise of more. Cullen whined in the back of his throat.

“ _Krem, Maker, please,”_ his voice was desperate and thick with want.

“Since you asked nicely.”

Krem pressed into Cullen slowly until he was hilted inside him. Cullen made a ruined noise and wrapped his legs around Krem’s waist, pulling him down into a kiss. He threaded his hand into Krem’s hair, the other on his back, holding him close.

“Fuck me,” Cullen whispered against Krem’s lips. Krem didn’t need more encouragement. His hips surged forward, thrusting into Cullen. Cullen arched beneath him, fingers digging in Krem’s back. That was definitely going to leave marks.

Krem set a hard pace, Cullen moaning beneath him like he was no better than a tavern whore. Fuck, he could never get enough of this. The way the Commander fell apart beneath Krem’s touch, how he stuttered and stammered and blushed and then couldn’t stop himself from begging for Krem to fuck him out of his mind. Cullen scraped his fingernails down Krem’s back and wailed.

“Please, please, PLEASE, _Krem!_ Don’t stop, oh blessed Maker, whatever you do don’t stop.” Cullen seemed to catch on his last words and he shut his eyes tightly, clinging to Krem and whispering _don’t stop_ over and over under his breath.

Krem sat up and grabbed Cullen under his ass, pulling him up and forward, onto his cock, holding him up while he pounded into him. He knew the angle had his cock pressing against Cullen’s forward wall on every thrust, but he had another motive too. The base of his cock rubbed against his clit perfectly this way and every thrust had him grinding against Cullen, chasing that wonderful friction.

Cullen wrapped his legs around Krem’s waist again, giving Krem the chance to let go of him with one hand so he could stroke Cullen’s cock in time with his thrusts. Cullen’s breath caught. He sobbed with desperation, clenching and unclenching his hands into the blankets, writhing and bucking. Krem felt heat building in his clit just from watching Cullen teeter on the edge of orgasm. It only took a few more seconds, Krem’s fingers flying over his cock and hips snapping forward hard and fast, for Cullen to come with a hoarse cry. His muscles spasmed and he trembled, collapsing back against the bed as he shuddered through the aftershocks of his pleasure.

Krem gave him a minute. He was polite like that.

Cullen reached for Krem and Krem let him tug him down on top of himself, breasts pressed flat against Cullen’s chest. Cullen put his face into Krem’s hair, still breathing quickly.

“Maker, that was good.”

“Mm,” Krem agreed.

Krem let himself lie against Cullen for a few seconds longer, lost in his thoughts for a moment, but he guessed Cullen must be getting uncomfortable. He pulled out of him with a wet sound that had Cullen making more of those embarrassed noises Krem liked so much and rolled off to the side, unbuckling his harness and discarding it over the edge of the bed. He dipped his hand between his legs to stroke his clit, careful of how sensitive he felt after grinding against the hard surface of his cock.

“Krem… let me,” Cullen leaned over to stroke his hand along Krem’s side, caressing his hip. Krem stilled his hand. Cullen pressed his lips against his neck, all gentle kisses where Krem had left bruises on Cullen’s pale skin. He kissed down his chest, along the valley between Krem’s breasts. Krem’d made it clear early on that just because he bared his chest to Cullen didn’t mean he wanted his breasts touched and Cullen was always deliberate about avoiding them.

It took Cullen agonizingly long minutes to make it to Krem’s clit and even then, his touch lingered on his belly and thighs. Krem squirmed. _Get on with it._ He tried to grab Cullen by his hair and tug his mouth to where he wanted it but Cullen stopped him.

“Shh, let me take care of you.”

Krem let go and slumped back against the bed, closing his eyes and trying to relax. Hard and rough came easily. This… less so.

He breathed deeply as he felt Cullen’s breath hot against his clit and then his hands spreading him open and pulling back the hood to bare him to Cullen. Krem didn’t have time to get antsy, the next thing he felt was Cullen’s tongue dragging over his clit gently. He teased him with long, slow licks, sometimes drawing off completely to drag the flat of his tongue over his entrance. Fuck, Cullen was unnaturally good at this. Unfairly good. He’d held Krem down before and made him come like this three, four, five times, until Krem had to use their safeword, afraid he might simply die or lose his mind if he came one more time.

Krem bit his lip, trying to keep his hips still. He just. He wanted to hold Cullen still and grind against his mouth. He wanted more. He _wanted._ Cullen’s iron grip on his hips held him still though, the teasing strokes of his tongue making his breath come short.

“Are you going to stop teasing or what?”

Cullen laughed from between his legs.

"But I love having you spread out like this. You look so beautiful.”

Andraste preserve him from sentimental fools.

“ _Cullen._ ”

“What if this is the only way I let you come? Just from me teasing you.”

“I will kill you,” Krem threatened. Cullen laughed again.

“What did you say earlier? Slow down. I’ll get there, I promise.” Krem groaned. Fine. Touché. He breathed in deeply and tried to be patient.

Cullen’s mouth returned to Krem’s clit with the same teasing licks, a little harder, but no more frequent. Krem lost himself in the sensation, the slow, winding tension between his legs, the way the the not-enough pressure made every touch that much more agonizingly intense. He cursed when Cullen finally closed his lips around his clit and sucked. He was so sensitive by then that it nearly sent him catapulting up to the ceiling, but Cullen’s hands kept him firmly in place and Krem whimpered when Cullen didn’t relent. It felt like his orgasm came out of nowhere, hitting him like a bolt of lightning. He went from lost in a haze of dreamy sensation to sitting bolt upright, curling forward and jerking as his orgasm shook him.

Cullen didn’t stop. He kept sucking and thrust two fingers into Krem, curling them up and pressing forward forcefully. Krem couldn’t think. It was too much.  He flailed desperately and seconds later his second orgasm was crashing through him. He screamed, collapsing onto the bed again and felt fluid gushing out. He could feel Cullen’s tongue lapping at his cunt, licking up the clear substance. He whined and tried to twist away. It was too much. Every touch felt like too much. Mercifully Cullen let him. Krem curled onto his side and lay there, catching his breath, ears ringing.

He felt Cullen settle against his back and curl around him and he shivered. Even that contact felt nearly overwhelming. He closed his eyes and tried to remember what it was like to have coherent thoughts and senses that worked.  

He didn’t know how long it took him to feel like a real person again, but he did eventually. He turned to face Cullen and pushed him onto his back, drawing his hand over his chest.

“Well, was that entertaining enough for you?”

Cullen kissed him.

“Absolutely.”

“Good. And maybe the servants’ gossip about all that screaming you did will reach your Marquis by morning and he’ll stop chasing you.”

“He’s not _my--_ and he’s not chasing me! And I wasn’t screaming-- Krem!”

Krem laughed at Cullen.

“Of course not, Commander. What is it you fancy folks say? ‘Perish the thought’. Move your arm please, I need my pillow.”

“Under the blankets first.”

They shuffled around so that they were under the covers and Krem settled into his favorite position for sleeping lately, head pillowed against Cullen’s chest. Cullen looped his arm around Krem’s waist and made a tired noise of contentment. They were both asleep within minutes.

 

**Author's Note:**

> The characters in this fic are both trans and use different words about their bodies. This is intentional and meant to reflect that different trans people talk about their bodies differently. 
> 
> Dedicated to the best friend & partner in shipping crime: Tainaron.


End file.
